DUBAI: Middle Eastern stock markets fell on Tuesday because of the global downturn in equities.
But the region outperformed emerging markets in Asia, where MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares excluding Japan plunged 3.6 percent.
Because of low oil prices and poor liquidity, the Gulf greatly underperformed the uptrend in global emerging markets last year, so fund managers said it may be less prone to profit-taking and have less distance to fall on the way down.
The Saudi stock index fell 1.6 percent with declining stocks outnumbering gainers by 169 to 13. Cement shares continued to pull back after big gains last week, with Jouf Cement down 3.3 percent.
Mediterranean & Gulf Cooperative Insurance and Reinsurance fell a further 5 percent, having lost almost 10 percent on each of the previous two days. The Capital Market Authority has said it might suspend or cancel trade in the stock following the central bank’s decision to prohibit the firm from issuing or renewing policies pending a capital increase.
But the biggest bank, National Commercial Bank, rose 0.7 percent. It reported a fourth-quarter net profit of SR2.56 billion ($683 million), up from SR2.29 billion a year ago. SICO Bahrain had forecast SR2.16 billion.
PetroRabigh added a further 3.1 percent after soaring 9.9 percent on Monday, when it reported a leap in fourth-quarter net profit.
Dubai’s index fell 1.5 percent as losing stocks outnumbered gainers by 32 to three. Abu Dhabi’s index sagged 0.9 percent.
In Qatar, the index lost 2.1 percent. Salam International Investment, the most heavily traded stock, closed 3.2 percent lower, far off its intra-day low. It had plunged by its 10 percent daily limit on Monday, when it posted an annual net loss of 89.9 million riyals ($24.7 million) versus a year-earlier profit of 119.7 million riyals.
Egypt’s index lost 1.6 percent but exchange data showed foreign investors were net buyers of strocks, by a modest margin.
Gulf stocks dragged down by rout across global markets
Gulf stocks dragged down by rout across global markets
QIA, Franklin Templeton launch $200m Qatar equity fund
RIYADH: Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund has teamed up with Franklin Templeton to launch a $200 million equity fund focused on the local stock market, part of efforts to deepen liquidity and attract institutional investors to Qatar’s capital markets.
The Qatar Investment Authority and the US asset manager said the Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund will operate as a day-traded mutual fund investing in companies listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange, according to the Qatar News Agency.
The launch follows a series of recent global partnerships by QIA, including a preliminary deal with Goldman Sachs targeting up to $25 billion in investments, as Qatar pushes to diversify its economy and expand its financial sector.
Mohammed Saif Al-Sowaidi, CEO of QIA, said: “With the launch of Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund, QIA is further expanding our Active Asset Management Initiative to support Qatar’s financial markets.”
He added: “As one of the largest global asset managers, Franklin Templeton brings a wealth of experience and resources to QSE and the broader Qatari economy and we look forward to working closely together on this initiative.”
The fund aims to give investors exposure to Qatar Stock Exchange-listed equities, allowing local and international institutions to access an actively managed portfolio in the domestic market, QNA reported.
QIA is the fund’s lead investor, contributing cash and shares, underscoring its commitment to the Qatari stock market. The reallocation of QSE-listed shares is intended to support the domestic economy and enhance market liquidity, it added.
Franklin Templeton manages about $1.68 trillion in assets as of Dec. 31, 2025, making it one of the world’s largest investment firms.
“Through our partnership with QIA, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the continued development of the Qatari financial ecosystem. We see this collaboration as the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership and part of a broader, multi-asset collaboration between Franklin Templeton and QIA,” said Jenny Johnson, CEO of Franklin Templeton.
The Franklin Templeton Qatar Equity Fund represents a key step in QIA’s active asset management strategy and highlights its partnership with Franklin Templeton in supporting Qatar’s capital markets through global investment expertise.
